Nine Lives
by Claradreamer
Summary: Ninekit is different from all kits. She has nine tails, each with stars on them. Her mother hates her, her dad loves her and her littermates takes sides in the battle of the nursery. After her apprentice ceremony, Forestclan attacks and takes her clan prisoner. It's up to her, her sister and brother to unite the remaining clans, to save theirs.
1. Chapter 1

My name is Ninekit. My mother hates me. My father loves me. And my littermates take sides. In the nursery, it's like a war. Streamkit (my brother) and Flightfeather (my mom) versus Doekit (my sister) and Wolfheart (my father). I am caught in the middle, because i started the war. When I was born i was different. I had nine tails, each with a star on them. My mom thinks I'm destined to be evil. My father believes in me. Everynight, he'll poke his head into the nursery and say "Your destined to be a great leader one day, Ninekit". He says this because I have nine tail, which he believes to symbolize the nine lives of a leader. The stars on my tail boost his belief even more. Doekit loves me no matter what...

"NINEKIT!" I hear Flightfeather screech. I poke my head out of my nine tails that blanket over me while I sleep.

"Come here right now!"

Sleepily, I pad over to my mother and sit obediently.

"I'm going to the dirtplace. Do not. Even. Look. At. Streamkit. understand?" my mom is very over protective of Streamkit. Giving me a stern look and a swift cuff the left side of my face, she stalks out of the nursery without taking her eyes off me. I recover from the blow my mother dealt me and go curl up beside Doekit.

"Flightfeather is really mean" Doekit whispers to me. Before I have a chance to reply I hear a tug on my fifth tail.

"Hey!" I object, pulling all my tails close to me.

"F-R-E-A-K!" Someone whispers in my ear. I turn to the other side.

"You're a monstrosity" I hear the whisper again. Then I hear Doekit say "Leave her alone, Streamkit"

I peek up. Streamkit was standing above me with his claw unsheathed.

"Oh whoops" he says mockingly "I mistook her for a squirrel. She has such fluffy tails"

"I'm not a squirrel and you know it" I say. He ignores me and starts pulling at the fur on my tails.

"Oww!" I squeal in pain. Just then we hear footsteps coming to the nursery. Turning around, Streamkit quickly rips a little bit of fur off himself and tossing it at my feet. Flightfeather comes in. Streamkit fakes tears and whines about me pulling out his fur. Flightfeather turns to glare at me. I curl up all of my nine tails in fear.

"I thought I told you not to even look at Streamkit" she growls.

"I only did when he started teasing me!" I say in defense.

"Don't make things up" she growls. Then cuffs me on my left cheek. I fly across the nursery. She walks towards me ready to deal another blow but just then we hear a call,

"All cats old enough to huntl, please gather around the highledge for a clan meeting"

Saved by the apprentice ceremony. I walk out holding my nine tails high and proud. I see my father. He looks as if he is about to explode with happiness and proudness.  
Doekit is beside me. We are both wearing our brightest smiles today. My brother pushes past us, causing us to both stumble and fall. Dust billows up in small clouds. My  
father looks horrified. Both Flightfeather and Wolfheart rush to aid us. My mother almost steps on me as she licks Doekit. Wolfheart comes to help me stand up. Then he whispers "Good luck little leader" and he shoots a glare at Streamkit.

Doekit and I quickly recover and catch up with Streamkit. Our leader, Galestar, winks at us and starts the ceremony.

"Today we are here to celebrate the apprenticeship of three special kits"

Galestar turns to Streamkit "Streamkit, from this day forward until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Streampaw! Your mentor will be Stonesong. Stonesong, you are a strong, tireless and young warrior. I expect you pass on your best skills to Streampaw."

Unhappily Streampaw goes to touch noses with Stonesong unhappy he didn't get a senior warrior. Then it was Doekits turn. She became Doepaw and got Mistwhisper, out medicine cat, as her mentor.

When it was my turn, I became Ninepaw and got Dapplewind. She was the youngest warrior but she was smart and quick-witted.

"Streampaw, Doepaw, Ninepaw!" My father cheered the loudest.


	2. Chapter 2

Dapplewind woke me up at dawn.

"I want to make sure we get the training hollow before anyone else"

I stumbled out of the apprentice den. I saw my mother on dawn patrol. She shot me a scathing look. I whimpered and hid my head with my tails.

"Don't let her know your scared" Dapplewind whispered in my ear. I looked up cautiously at her. She actually believed in me! Like Wolfheart and Doepaw! I held my head high and marched towards the training hollow. I smiled. I had thought that Dapplewind would of hated me but she believed in me! Dapplewind came into the training hollow. She stared at me intensely.

"What?" I said.

"Your tails"

"What about them?" I said fiercely.

"They might get in the way of battle. Having one tail is fine, but having nine seems a bit overboard"

I stared confused. I hadn't thought of it before. My tails were kind of heavy. They did drag on the ground.

"I know!" Dapplewind exclaimed "If your enemy can't see, he is easy to beat. With your tails you can scuff up alot of dust, which clouds the air and goes in your enemies eyes!"

"Oh!" I was getting the idea "Like this?"

Sweeping my nine tails from side to side, I managed to make a huge cloud of dust, but the wind blew it away from the training hollow. Dapplewind paced around looking around thoughtfully.

"Ninepaw? Can you use your tail to blow the dust towards me?"

"I don't get it"

"Like this" She said raising her tail up and down. I tried. Every time I arched them over my back, a gust of wind blew towards Dapplewind.

"Nice! Now try it with the dust"

I raised a cloud of dust. Then I blew it over to Dapplewind, who had her eyes closed tightly.

"Great!" She called. I grinned. I felt more confident about battle.

"Maybe, we could use the same strategy for hunting?" I suggested. Dapplewind shook her head.

"The prey would be gone by the time you raised the dust. Your tails kind of rustle against every plant."

"Oh" I looked down.

"But your blinding move works well. Lets practice some battle moves"

It was about Sunhigh when our battle training was ruined. I had almost perfected some useful moves. It was tough work blinding, then fighting Dapplewind.

Sunhigh was when Streampaw came in with Stonesong. Stonesong sent a sympathetic, but mocking, gaze to Dapplewind. I was afraid she would return it with a "I Know Right?" look, but she glared back at him, her fur bristling.

"Well, Ninepaw. Your tails getting in the way?"

I turned to see Streampaw.

"Aww. Poor Ninepaw"

I sent him a scathing glare. "I challenge you" I said impulsively.

"What?" Streampaw gasped. He quickly regained his cool. "Fine. But we all know who will win"

I left the training hollow holding my head high. Dapplewind followed, pride in her eyes. But, there was also worry. She knew how much Streampaw resented me.

"Are you sure about the challenge? You know you can back down. It's not to late"

"No, I'm not backing down" I know I'm going to win. I feel it. And I'm not backing down.


	3. Chapter 3

I was done with being teased by Streampaw. All those moons in the nursery, being teased, being blamed and being scolded for something I had never done. Time for revenge. Dapplewind and I have been training for a quarter moon. Everyday into the training arena. Then be kicked out by Streampaw and Stonesong. But nonetheless I was ready!

"Let's try hunting today!" Dapplewind exclaimed suddenly.

"But-But what about practice" I argued.

"We've practiced for a quarter moon! You've never hunted or even stepped out of the territory!"

"Fine!"

Dapplewind led me out into the territory.

"Woah" I whispered. The trees were huge! I took a step out. Leaves rustled. I guess Dapplewind was correct when she said my tails rustled leaves. Every step was "rustle, rustle, rustle"

Dapplewind looked at me.

"Why don't we try the field we have"

"We have a field? I thought we were in a forest territory!"

"Most of it is forest. We also have a field and a stream"

"Cool! Let's go!"

I ran all the way to the field. Dapplewind was right behind me.

"You should be able to hunt here without scaring off the prey"

I looked at Dapplewind.

"I don't know how to hunt"

"I'll show you" She got down in a crouch "Like this. Copy me"

I tried copying her.

"Hold your tails higher! And remember: A rabbit will hear you before it sees you and a mouse will feel you before it sees you"

"What does that mean?"

"When stalking a rabbit, be extra quite. When stalking a mouse, place your paws down slowly and gently"

I sat up. Finally! I learn to hunt. I thought it would be hard and it was. I wasn't even thinking about my challenge to Streampaw. I just wanted to hunt and hopefully get something that will impress the clan.

Dapplewind woke me up from my thoughts "Taste the air. Can you scent anything? Can you hear anything?"

I opened my jaws wide. I scented something. I remember that scent! I smelt it once in the fresh-kill pile! The memory came back.

 _Doekit and I were playing in the camp. Then a apprentice dropped something in the fresh-kill pile. Doekit and I stopped playing and went to look. Wolfheart came out. So did my brother and my mother._

 _"I'm hungry! I want something to eat!" Streamkit was whining. My mother guided him to the fresh-kill pile with her tail._

 _"Have this" She gave him the newest piece of fresh-kill. I ran up and sniffed it._

 _"What's that?"_

 _"None of your buisness" Streamkit nudged me away. Then he turned to Flightfeather "Flightfeather! Ninekit is trying to steal my food!"  
_

 _Flightfeather looked as if she wanted to send me to the dark forest. Wolfheart came out of the warrior's den._

 _"That's a pheasant" He whispered "It's really good"_

 _As soon as he said that he was called off to do a hunting patrol "Bring you back a pheasant"_

"Ninepaw? Did you hear me"

That jolted me to reality.

"What?"

"Did you scent anything?"

"I think I scented. A-a pheasant?" I murmured. Dapplewind looked at me.

"Did you or did you not?" She sternly said.

"Yes!" I said feeling more confident. Dapplewind opened her jaws to taste the air.

"Same. You lead the way"

I put my paws down lightly and tried to keep my tails from rustling. I parted my jaws once more. The pheasant was very close. Then I saw it! But. It was more than one. Two male pheasants were competing for a female.

"Dapplewind!" I whispered "Three pheasants! Three!"

Dapplewind's eyes widened "Three?"

I nodded to conclude it.

"I'll be on the other side. When you see my tail go up, strike!"

She disappeared into the tall grass. I crouched in hunting stance. Her tail popped up in the grass. I pounced on the biggest pheasant and killed it with a swift bite to the neck. I looked up to see how Dapplewind was doing. She missed her pheasant! It trying to fly up. I jumped up and dragged it down. Something snapped between my two hind paws. I killed The pheasant that I was holding.

Dapplewind was looking at me in surprise.

"What?" I said.

"Y-you killed all the pheasants!"

I only killed two, but, the thing that snapped under my paws. It was the final pheasant.

"Come on. Let's carry this back to camp" She picked up two of the pheasants and we walked back to camp.


	4. Chapter 4

I arrived in camp carrying on of the pheasants I caught. Dapplewind was carrying the rest. I saw some cats look at me in surprise. Setting down the pheasant I saw Doepaw.

"Doepaw! It seems so strange that I haven't seen you since the apprentice ceremony!"

"I know!" She mewed "Did you catch that?"

"Yeh. I did"

"Here comes trouble!" She lowered her voice. It was Streampaw.

"Nice catch Dapplewind! you actually caught something unlike Ninepaw"

Annoyed I walked over.

"I was the one who caught that, mouse-brain!"

"Barely. I bet you needed Dapplewind's help. Naturally"

"Streampaw" Dapplewind mewed "Ninepaw did all the work. Now go, otherwise you'll be cleaning out the elder's den for a moon!"

"You're a piece of fox-dung" Streampaw hissed at me and stalked off. I saw Wolfheart walking up.

"Three pheasants! Well done, my little warrior!" He turned to Dapplewind "You're training a future leader here"

"I know, she's good!"

"Wolfheart! Border patrol!" our deputy, Lightningflash, called.

"Got to go!" Wolfheart said. "Coming!"

I saw Streamthorn, our elder, eating a pheasant. Ripplefur was with him. Pride swelled in me. I smiled, hugely. But then I saw Flightfeather praising Streampaw of something he didn't do.

"Good catch! You caught the pheasant?"

Streampaw puffed up his chest and smiled, smugly, at me.

Ripplefur lifted his head "I thought Ninepaw caught this"

"Do you really think that scrap of fox-dung could of caught this?" Flightfeather screeched "She's nothing but an abomination. A disgrace to the clan"

Ripplefur looked down "Of course" He mumbled and resumed eating the pheasant. My fur bristled.

"I caught the pheasant and I am not a scrap of fox-dung!"

"You did not! You're a liar, a disgrace to the clan. Streampaw caught the pheasant and you're trying to take what he did" Flightfeather curled her nose up in disgust. She flicked her tail and walked away with her head held high.

"Liar!" I hissed at Streampaw.

"Whatever" He mewed "I'm still better than you. So what if I only hunt in the forest. I can still beat you in battle"

He turned and walked away. "See you in battle Nine _kit"_


	5. Chapter 5

It was time for the challenge. Me versus Streampaw. Hopefully he wasn't that good. I hope. I still have the dust trick. That should give me a good start. He'll be blinded and coughing. I'm ready.

"Ninepaw!" Singsonged Streampaw "Ready to get your face in the dust?"

I smiled inwardly. Back to him. I came out of the apprentice den and walked towards the training hollow. Dapplewind was waiting for me. So were a bunch of other cats.

"Why are they here?" I said to Dapplewind.

"They've come to watch"

Oh great! Now they can see I'm a good warrior! No cat will doubt me now. Then I saw Galestar. Gulp.

"Dapplewind!" I heard Stonesong whisper. He didn't know I could hear. "Too bad your apprentice will lose. Such a shame to have a disgrace"

Dapplewind hissed. "Look here Stonesong. She is not a disgrace. She is a cat and so are you! Respect that!" She spat at him.

"Ninepaw! Streampaw! Time to begin!" Galestar called. I began to feel nervous. Streampaw was looking as if he had all the prey in the world. He was smugly smiling. He had puffed his chest out.

we took our places.

"Begin!" called Galestar. Streampaw attacked at once. He went for my belly, the softest part. I dodged. He was quicker than I thought! While dodging, I scuffed up some dust. That gave me an idea.

He attacked again, swiping with his left paw. I turned to block the attack. He caught me with a blow to the hind legs. I fell down. He used his left paw as a distraction! He was returning for another hit.

I started fanning my nine tails and billows of dust blew up. Streampaw started coughing. I hit him down. I was trained to fight in dust.

"Wha-?" Streampaw mummered as I kicked him away. He was out of the dust cloud, surprise on his face. It quickly turned to anger. He came barreling into the cloud and knocked me down. I flew across the training hollow.

"Your trick doesn't work anymore!" Streampaw yowled in triumph. I flipped to my paws and created another billow of dust. The whole hollow was covered in dust. Streampaw began coughing again. Then we heard more coughing.

"Sorry!" I called out.

A voice replied. "It wasn't any of us"

We saw a cat in camp. Then more came in. They all were coughing.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"We're under attack by Forestclan!"


	6. Chapter 6

"We're under attack by Forestclan!"

I gasped. Streampaw snarled. Forestclan voices filled the air.

"I can't see!" one yelled. I turned around the face the camp entrance. Cats were pouring in and then stopping because the couldn't see.

"Ninepaw!" Dapplewind's voice was worried.

"Here!" I whispered. Forestclan cats were everywhere! Then fighting broke out. Cats were everywhere, yowling. Forestclan cats were stronger as we were fast. I took one on my size.

He hissed and spat as I bowled him over. He flipped over and kicked with his hind paws. I fell backwards. But I was trained to fight in dust, he wasn't. I fanned my tails and sent more dust towards him. He coughed like crazy. He fell down, he was coughing so hard. I swiped, my claws unsheathed. Then Streampaw appeared beside me. Even though he was coughing, he sent the other cat running. Then he turned towards me.

"Glad I was there. You wouldn't of made it without me. You're better of in the nursery" He smiled smugly, thinking he was the hero. I hissed at the thought.

"Leave me alone! I can take care of myself!" I leaped back into the fighting, hissing and spitting. Then all the Forestclan cats broke away from us and huddled together, blocking off the entrance.

I saw one that stood out from the rest. He looked bigger and stronger.

"Treestar" Galestar hissed. Treestar stepped forwards.

"You are captured in your own camp" He yowled "Your territory is ours now! You are our prisoners"

A heard gasping, hissing and protests. Galestar lashed out and Treestar, who brought a crushing blow on the back. I heard snapping and Galestar fell, his back bent at an unusual angle. Dapplewind appeared beside me.

"Galestar lost a life. Treestar broke his back"

I stared in horror. Treestar ordered some of his warriors to take Galestar away.

"Finchclaw, take Cloudpaw, Birdwing and Littlepaw and look to see who is inside the dens. Bring them out"

The two warriors and apprentices ran into the nursery. I saw Quietbreeze, our mute queen, and her kits shoved out.

"Let us make an examlple about what happens if you fight" Treestar snarled. He grabbed Lionkit by the scruff. Quietbreeze's eyes widened. She fought as best as she could but with no success. Treestar planted his paw on top of Lionkit.

Lionkit squealed. Then fell silent. Treestar sank his claws into Lionkit's neck. He tossed the small body aside. My clan cowered in fear. Then our deputy, Darkflame, yowled.

"Run!"


	7. Chapter 7 (and a note)

**I'm going to postpone all my other stories and finish one at a time. This one was my second story to be written, so this'll be the second to be finished. Then it will be Cat-Fox-Vixen, I'm a Black Cat and then Different to Special. I'm not going to continue Guess the Warrior (in Poems) unless you really want me too ('cause don't wanna disappoint my fans). Warrior Cat Generator Thingy Of Awesomeness, I will try to continue, updating everyone in a while. I might also take the story within it, and make it and actual individual one on fanfic. I fell since I haven't been active on my account for a long time, I owe you an extra long chapter. Here we go, 1,500 words (approximently):**

Our clan charged forward. Taken by surprise, the Forestclan cats took a while to catch on. Unfortunately, none of us made it out before Forestclan reacted.

"Get the queens and elders out!" Someone yelled.

"You go help," Dapplewind said to me. I dashed towards the nursery. I heard shouting outside as cats were struggling to carry her four kits. Doepaw and Minkpaw were already there and carrying kits.

"I'll take this one" I snatched up a red kit. Cherrywhisker took the last one. We were almost out of the nursery when a Forestclan warrior entered.

"Oh good!" She mewed sarcastically "I not only have to injure a mother. But also three young apprentices! I hate raiding the nursery,"

"Then don't," Cherrywhisker said after placing down her kit "Let us through"

"But I have a job to do" She hissed, thrashing her tail "but on the other paw, I don't want to harm apprentices"

She stood there for a while. Finally, she sighed and unsheathed her claws. "Sorry, I don't want to risk Treestar's punishments."

Before any of us could react, the warrior snatched up the kit Cherrywhisker was carrying "Follow me, if any of you attack, the kit dies"

Cherrywhisker gasped "No! Please! He's the only tom."

The warrior- I started to call her Leopardclaw, she just seemed like a Leopardclaw-led us out of the nursery. As we walked through camp, Forestclan cats seemed to have a boost, they wrestled our warriors with supercat strength, throwing them off quickly and escorting us through the fighting. As soon as Treestar saw us, his eyes gleamed victoriously. He motioned for us to follow him.

"What's going to happen?" Doepaw whispered to me, her eyes wide. I responded by flicking my ears and touching my tail to hers. It was hard to speak while carrying a kit. We made our way to the highledge. As soon as we reach the top, Treestar yowled.

"STOOOOOOOP!"

All the cats stopped fighting. The Forestclanners broke off and flanked around the rock.

"If anyone defies me, the kits die" Treestar growled. Our warriors sat down immediately. No one wanted to risk the life of a kit.

"Divide them up into groups. I want the deputy to be escorted to our camp with the leader," Treestar said "Take the apprentices, kits, and queens to the reform camp. Send out a patrol to search for any that escaped. I don't want word getting out to the other clans. And do something about this freak"

He motioned towards me. How dare he! I have a good mind to claw him, but I don't want to risk the life of a kit. He did the leader thing well, though. Many of his warriors gave him a fearful gaze and then did their task.

A group of warriors, all heavily scarred, led us out of camp. Leopardclaw led the patrol.

"Darkflame, wait!" Treestar bounded up to Leopardclaw. Hmm... I was wrong with her name. "Separate the queens and kits. I don't want them telling their kits about what happened"

Quietbreeze and Cherrywhisker were immediately separated from the rest of us.

"No!" Cherrywhisker yowled, her voice an octave higher than usual "No, please! They've only started eating fresh-kill, please, no!" She was hysterical now. Quietbreeze's eyes filled with tears.

"You will do as I say, or your kits die" Treestar growled. Darkflame unhappily unsheathed her claws. Cherrywhisker fell silent, her eyes filling with tears. All of a sudden, Quietbreeze leapt at Darkflame, surprising her so much, she dropped the kit. Quietbreeze snatched up the kit and darted away. We all followed her example, taking the chance to run away, all in different directions.

I ran as fast as I could. The red kit I was carrying was squirming and wriggling, making it harder to run fast. I soon became tired and stopped to rest.

"Oh. My. Starclan" I said, gasping for breath between each word. The kit mewed and shivered.

"Hungry!" She cried. A pang of sympathy shot through me. I gently picked her up and walked away. Just then, I heard some scuffling behind some bushes.

"Aha!" Treestar's voice boomed "We found the mute one!"

They found Quietbreeze! I wanted to rush and help, but then I'd get caught.

"You two hold her and the kit here. I'll be back. I smell the other queen." I heard cats running off.

"I'll hold the kit, thank you" A gruff voice sounded. I didn't want to leave, but I had to save this kit. I turned tail and quietly ran. Unfortunately, my 3rd tail got caught in some bramble. I gave a hard tug and it came loose, but some branches snapped.

"Huh?" I heard the voice again. A grey cat stepped out of the bushes.

"Hmm. Found the weird one. Treestar will reward me. I'll take the kit thank you"

He lunged at me. I ran as fast as I could. My tails kept getting stuck in bushes, slowing me down. It didn't help that the Forestclan cat was fast. Finally, I reached the meadow. I welcomed it with open paws. Finally! A place I could actually run. I put on a new burst of speed, but soon, the exhaustion caught up with me. The kit kept squirming around and throwing me off course.

"Here kitty, kitty" The warrior was right beside me. Surprised and unexpectedly, I stopped. He ran ahead, not realizing I had stopped. I decided to take no chances and find somewhere to stay.

After a while, I found the perfect place. Well, almost perfect.

It was a giant cliff. A huge waterfall covered a cave. It would be hard for warriors to get to, seeing the only way to get there was on a narrow passage about the width of a small apprentice.

I purred. No one would get us here. I trotted down the narrow passage. Wow. It was narrower than I thought. One slip, one mistake could send you falling to your doom. Finally, I made it. I slipped inside the cave. It was kind of dark. No, it was pitch black except for some glow worms. I placed the kit down and scurried outside to gather some moss.

"Hmm..." I said, "where would you find moss?"

I paused.

"Ugh! The forest! Nevermind, I'll just hunt and get some leaves"

About half an hour later, I had caught a mouse.

"Better get back to the kit" I mumbled. I ran back to the cave. I could hear her.

"Cherrywhisker!" she mewed "I'm hungry!"

Poor thing. I slipped inside.

"Who are you?" The kit said "You're not Cherrywhisker. Why do you have so many tails? Don't they get in the way of everything? Where's Cherrywhisker? And why are we in a creepy cave?"

"My name is Ninepaw. I was born with these tail. Yes, the do get in the way. Umm... Cherrywhisker won't be here for a while and we're in the cave because..."

"My name is Springkit! Are we playing a game? " She squeaked.

"Yes. We are"

"I think you're tails are cool! I wish I had that many tails"

"Thanks."

"I'm hungry. Is Cherrywhisker coming?"

Should I tell her the truth?

"Are you hungry?" I try distracting her instead.

"Yay! Food!" She pounces on the mouse "the warrior wins! The mouse dies!"  
She batted the mouse and swished her tail. I sigh. I wish my kithood was like that.

At night, we go outside to see the sunset. So many colors.

"When's mommy coming?"

My heart skipped a beat. I curl my tail around here.

"Soon" I say "Soon. Let's go inside."

Just as she starts to drift off we hear a voice. It's thin and raggedy.

"Well, well, well. Let's see who we have here"

 **Sorry for the cliffhanger. I promise I'll hurry and finish my stories. If you guys have any ideas for after she meets the cat (or whatever they are) in the cave, then tell me.**


End file.
